Taylor Swift’s New York Times Interview Revealed Everything About Her Songwriting

Taylor Swift sat down with The New York Times to talk about her songwriting, and ended up giving us one of the most revealing looks yet into how she thinks as a storyteller, lyricist, and artist.

In this unusually candid interview, Taylor opens up about how she finds inspiration, how her songwriting has evolved over time, how she handles the pressure of constantly being expected to do more, and what it was like growing up as a young woman in the music industry.

But beneath all of that is something even more interesting: the way Taylor thinks about stories. Character. Language. Perspective. Emotional detail. The tiny writing choices that make her songs hit as hard as they do.

So in this episode of the Swiftly Sung Stories podcast, we’re breaking down not just what Taylor said, but what it reveals about how her storytelling actually works.

 

✏️In this episode, we’ll discuss: 

• The secrets behind some of her most iconic lyrics
• What really inspires her songwriting (and it’s not just her romantic relationships)
• How her love of language shapes her best lines
• The lyrical patterns and quirks she keeps returning to
• What she revealed about fame, pressure, and being a pathological people pleaser
• What it felt like entering the music industry as a teenager
• How competition and ambition have fueled her career
• Her important advice for artists, writers, and creatives
• And so much more

 

⌛Timestamps

01:18 The NYT 30 Greatest Living American Songwriters List 

02:46 The Juicy Bits

10:42 On What Inspires Her

18:37 On Storytelling

30:05 On Lyricism

39:08 On How Fans Influence (and Don't Influence) Her Craft

47:06 On Vulnerability

54:33 On Being a Woman in the Music Industry

 

🎤Songs Discussed 

⏺ The Chicks, “Goodbye Earl”

⏺ Jeannie C. Riley, “Harper Valley PTA”

⏺ Dashboard Confessional, “Hands Down”

⏺ Fall Out Boy, “Sugar, We’re Going Down”

⏺ Sombr, “Undressed”

⏺ Taylor Swift: Our Song, Madwoman, Love Story, But Daddy I Love Him, Illicit Affairs, Mr Perfectly Fine, Out of the Woods, Lavender Haze, Eldest Daughter, Dear Reader & more

 

📖Episode Resources  

Taylor’s NYT Interview 

Episode Webpage & Transcript

List of Taylor's Literary References

✨About Swiftly Sung Stories 

The Swiftly Sung Stories Podcast is your Taylor Swift English class, no homework required. 

Hosted by Jen - a writer, former English teacher, and serious Swiftie - the show examines Taylor Swift’s storytelling across every era, through a literary lens. 

Website: https://swiftlysungstories.com  

Audio-Only Podcast: https://swiftlysungstories.com/podcast/

Find me on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@swiftlysungstories

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/swiftlysungstories/

 

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